Pin.



H. G. SMITH.

PIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1913.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

8mm //snr 6 57125172.

@511 M'WW THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO-LITHQ, WASH/N0 TON. By C UhlllED @lTATEd PATENT @l llllfiE,

HENRY G. 'SllIITH, 0F FROVIDENOE, 'RHQDE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO B. A. BALLOU' & COMPANY, INC., OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF REODE ISLAND.

PIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented Dec. 29, 1914i.

To all e0720m it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY G. SMITH, citizen of the United States. and resident of the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pins, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pins of the cuff or beauty pin type, and has for its object more especially to provide a pin-stem haying a. comparatively rigid or non-yielding shank or body portion. the same preferably having a flattened head pivoted between the joint ears of the pin body and having a downwardly and forwardly curved resilient arm adapted to extend into and engage the inner surface of the pin body to provide a spring fulcrum for the pin stem to cause its pointed end to be firmly retained in its catch or keeper.

A further object of the invention is to flatten the engaging end of said arm so that when it contacts with the inner face of a pin body that is made of very thin material, such as thingold or the like, the arm will yield and its broad flat surface will not dent the shell and press outward the outer surface of the shell and disfigure or mar the appearance of the pin body.

It is found in practice that where a solid sector-shaped pin head, such as that illustrated in Figure 3 is mounted in a thin shelled solid gold pin body, said head having a depth sufficient to extend into and provide a fulcrum on the inner surface thereof, that the engaging end of this non-yielding head soon dents the inner sur ace and presses outward the thin stock thereby completely destroying the fulcrum effect and the utility of the pin. To obviate this serious difficulty I have cut away the underneath portion of the head leaving only a thin yielding or resilient arm or finger whose engaging end I have flattened and widened to provide a broad bearing surface so that the thin shell will support the same, and the yielding nature of the arm will prevent the indenting of the stock and a lasting, practical and eflicient fulcrum member is obtained which Will not injure a very thin pin body.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as Will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Of the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 illustrates my improved pin stem mounted in a pin body, the latter being shown in sectional ele ation. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of my improved pin stem illustrating the resilient fulcrum arm. Fig. 3- is a sectional end view on line 44 of Fig. 1 illustrating one of my improved pin stems mounted ina one-piece pin body.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the body of a so-called one-piece pin which is struck up into any desired shape and preferably of substantially a U-shape in cross section providing, a pin body without a back plate or open at its back portion, and having a catch member 11 at one end and two joint cars 12 near the opposite end all formed integral with the body portion being blanked out and struck up from a single piece of sheet metal. that shown being what is known as a bar form of pin. In the trade there is a demand for a cuff or beauty pin of this character that is made of solid gold and in order to produce solid gold pins at a popular price the body portion must of necessity be made of very thin stock. In some instances I have mounted a pin stem of the sector head type in the joint ears with its lower end in contact with the inner face of the pin body and have found that its rigid engaging portion. when mounted in a body whose stock has been reduced to the desired thickness. causes an indentation in the stock and its function of providing a fulcrum against the thin stock is thus destroyed. To obviate this ditlicultv I have provided a pin stem having; a shank or body portion 14 pointed at one end 15 and having a flattened head portion 16 at its opposite end and on this head'I have formed a downwardlv and forwardly directed thin curved arm 17 integral with said head portion and extending well forward of the pivoting point, and I have broadened and flattened the engaging end 18 of this springarm so that it will engage an extended surface on the inner face of the pin body. which broad and yielding surface will find a bearing against the inner face of the thin shell and provide a suitable fulcrum without indenting or injurina the thin shell against which it contacts. Then again, by my improved construction of pin stem with a resilient arm having a broad bearing end I obviate the necessity of thickening the shell at the point of contact or ofproviding a reinforcing member as has heretofore been found necessary in order to prevent injury to or distorting of the thin shell at this bearing point. I y

In the practical construction of my improved pin stem the engaging end of the fulcrum arm is flattened by hammering which hammering serves to condense and harden the stock and render it yieldable and resilient. In other words the flattening of the engaging end of this fulcrum finger has a double advantage. First", the flattening operation renders the finger resilient and second, the broadening of the finger by flattening its end lends to it a surface which when engaging the thin stock of the pin body will not dent or injure the same.

By my improved construction of forming a resilient or yielding fulcrum arm on the pin stem I am enabled to make the shank or body portion of the pin heavier and more rigid than is usually in this class of pins, so that it will not bend or spring very readily and will maintain its natural or straight shape, which is bound to be a desirable feature, particularly in this class of long pins.

In my improved construction of pin stem Copies of this patent may be obtained for he cents each, by addressing the some distance to the rear beyond the pivoting point 20 so that this extending portion will engage the rear outer edge 21 of the body portion and provide a back stop to limit the rearward swing of the pin stem.

I claim 1. A pin stem comprising a comparatively rigid body portion having an integral resilient fulcrum arm extending downwardly beneath the body and forward of the pivot point, the engaging portion of said arm being flattened.

2. The combination with a pin body having joint ears, of a pin stem with a comparatively rigid shank having a head pivoted between said ears and having a resilient fulcrum arm extending from a point to the rear ofthe pivot point downwardly and forwardly to a point forward of the pivot point and adapted to engage the inner portion of said body providing a spring fulcrum for the pin stern, said engaging portion of the arm being flattened.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY G. SMITH. Witnesses:

HOWARD E. BARLow, E; I. OGDAN.

"Commissioner of Estonia,

Washington, D. C. 

